Swimming remains a favorite summertime pastime worldwide, with Austria standing out as one of the most swim-loving countries. According to a recent Statista Consumer Insights survey, nearly 40% of Austrians say they swim or dive at least from time to time. In comparison, about 30% of Germans reported similar habits. Meanwhile, swimming is less common in countries like India, France, and Brazil, where only around 20% engage in the activity. Mexico ranked lowest among surveyed nations, with just 13% saying they swim or dive occasionally.
Beyond being a fun and healthy form of exercise, swimming is also a crucial life skill. Yet, swimming proficiency isn’t universal. The World Health Organization (WHO) notes that while children aged 5 to 14 make up nearly one-fifth of all global drowning deaths, fewer than 25% of countries currently include swimming and aquatic safety in their national education programs.
To address this gap, the WHO recommends not only swimming instruction but also a range of community-level strategies to reduce drowning risks. These include having trained lifeguards, accessible weather warnings, emergency rescue services, community responders, and flood prevention programs. Legal policies can also play a vital role—for example, by requiring lifejacket use, fencing around pools, and regulating alcohol near lakes and rivers.
Given that drowning risks span a wide range of contexts—from jobs involving water exposure to climate disasters and migration—the WHO emphasizes the need for a cross-sector approach to prevention.
July 25 marks World Drowning Prevention Day, a reminder of how vital it is to improve global efforts in water safety and education.
Source: Statista
